Metal barrel



Feb. 8, 1938. w. F.-SCHULZ 2,107,992

METAL BARREL Filed June 8, 1934 I: T: :ILZZJII '11- 1: 4z

8 ill f: L if: I i 53 31mm nlot- Patented Feb. 8, 1938 METAL BARRELWalter F. Schulz, Youngstown, Ohio, assignor to Truscon Steel Company, acorporation of Michigan Youngstown, Ohio,

Application June 8, 1934, Serial No. 729,665

12 Claims.

The present invention relates to metallic double walled vessels, moreparticularly barrels in which there is an inner container and an outercasing spaced and insulated from the inner container. The invention isdirected more particularly to beer barrels, although it may be used forthe handling of any material requiring an insulated container.

The object of the invention is to provide such a barrel which is verystrong and durable, and in which the inner container is completelyprotected from being deformed or otherwise injured by shocks or blows.

Another object is to provide novel means for the effective support andinsulation of the inner container.

Another object is to provide a barrel similar in weight and handlingcharacteristics to wooden barrels, and to provide such a barrel whichwill roll correctly without injuring its finish or appearance.

Still another object is to provide such a container, the inner surfaceof which is completely smooth and free from corners'or projections, thusdefects.

providing free drainage and permitting pitching. In the accompanyingdrawing, the figure is a longitudinal section through the center of abarrel constructed in accordance with the invention.

Describing the drawing, the numeral I indicates the inner container.This container is somewhat spherical in shape, the walls on all sidesbeing outwardly rounded and the corners being gradually rounded. It ismade up of two sections 2, 3, which are produced by suitable drawingoperations, and these sections are butted together and welded alongtheir meeting edges, as at 4. The most satisfactory welding process forthis purpose at present appears to be by the automatic carbon arcmethod, since this method produces a joint of great strength, free fromporosity and other The. outer casing, which surrounds and is spaced fromthe inner container I and supports it, is composed of three sections.The central section is made of relatively heavy gauge material and isformed with a central region 6, spaced parallel rolling ribs I on eachside of the region, and inturned flanges 8 at each end of the section.

The rolling ribs 1 are relatively broad and their outer surfaces aretransversely crowned. This provides for accurate tracking of the barreland minimizes the danger of marring the finish of the barrel and wearingthe surfaces over which it is rolled.

Adjacent the outer edges of the rolling ribs 1 are formed shoulders 9which are engaged by the end sections of the casing. From theseshoulders, the flanges 8 are turned inwardly to points adjacent, butspaced from the outer surface of the inner container I. At these pointsthe flanges are angularly bent in a direction substantially parallel tothe wall of the innercontainer to form rim-like portions Ill. Theserim-like portions III are formed to have channels II for the receptionof non-metallic packing rings I2 inter- Posed between the rim ID and thecontainer I. The packings I 2 are fireproof and operate both to heatinsulate the inner container from the casing and to cushion thecontainer against shocks.

The end sections I3, I4 of the casing are of material of substantiallylighter gauge than the center section 5 and are generally pot-shaped,each comprising an annular side wall I5, and a head I6, both of theseelements being spaced from the inner container I. telescopically engagedover the shoulders 9 of the central section 5, being butted against theouter sides of the ribs I and having their end portions welded to thesaid ribs.

A chime I1 is provided on each of the sections I3, I4, by extending theside wall I5 to a point beyond the plane of the head I6, bending itinwardly for a short distance and then bending it back toward the head.The inner surfaces of the chimes I1 are bowed, as shown at I8 to providea safe hand grip for handling the barrel.

In order to support the end portions of the inner container I and toreinforce the end sections I3, I4, against deformation, reinforcingrings I9 are inserted in each of the sections. These rings I9 aregenerally U-shaped in section, having legs 20, 2I and central portions22.

The legs of the rings I9 are secured by welding to the side walls I5 ofthe end sections and the other legs 2| extend into the chimes II wherethey are reversely bent to closely fit the outer and end walls of thechimes to provide strong reinforcement therefor.

The central or apex portions 22 of the rings extend to a point closelyadjacent but spaced from the end walls of the container I and arechanneled as at 23 to receive non-metallic insulating packing rings 24similar to the packing rings I2. Inasmuch as the rings I9 support theend walls of the inner container I and the flanges of the centralsection support the side wall, the inner container is maintained againstboth transverse and longitudinal movement relative to the outer casing.

The rings I9 at a. pointzoutside of the nd .walls These end sections ared of the container l, and adjacent the inner sides of the heads ii areprovided with inwardly struck tongues 25 which are welded to the headsl8 and serve to reinforce them.

The barrel is furnished with fittings as follows. The end wall of thesection i4 is provided with an outwardly drawn portion 26, having anopening 21 therein for the reception of a tap fitting 28. The tapfitting 28 comprises a central annular nipple 29 outwardly {terminatingin a flange 38, a bottom wall 3! and a surrounding annular side wall 32terminating at its outer portion in a flange 33. The bottom wall 3| iscircularly chamfered about the opening of the nipple to a depth equal tothe thickness of the wall of the section it, and to the proper size tofit within the opening 21. The head 26 of the section it is providedwith an opening 86 having an inwardly turned flange 35 about it for thereception of the flange 33. The tap fitting 28 is welded to the materialof the section 3| about the edge of the opening 27, the innermostportion of the said fitting being fiush'with the inner surface of thesection 34. The flange 35 of the head It and the flange 33 of the tapfitting 28 are welded together about the opening 3%.

The inner container i is provided with an opening 36, with an outwardlyturned flange surrounding it, for the reception of a central bung sleeve37 in the side of the barrel. The central region 6 between the rollingribs of the central section 5 is provided with an opening to receive theouter portion of the bung sleeve.

The bung sleeve 36 is tubular and tapers longitudinally toward its innerend. The outer end terminates in a flange 38 which overlies the materialof the section 5 about the opening therein. The inner end of the sleeve36 is flush with the inner surface of the container l and is welded tothe container about the opening therein. The flange 31 of the outer endof the sleeve is welded to the material of the section 5, the materialof the weld being below the surface of the flange. It is to be notedthat the flange 31 is of a thickness less than the height of the rollingribs I in order to allow the barrel to roll without the flange 31 or abung inserted in the sleeve 36 coming in contact with the supportingsurface.

The above described container has many advantages. The shape of theinner container gives maximum resistance to shocks tending to distort itand change its volume, as well as permitting thorough cleaning andefilcient pitching of the interior. It also allows the container to berigidly supported within the outer casing.

The air space insulation is comparative in eflect with wood inmaintaining beer at proper temperature for a given period without thenecessity for extra cooling. Furthermore it allows the necessaryoperations of super-heating and pitching of the inner container withoutundue heating of the outer casing, which permits handling a greaternumber of barrels by brewery employes without discomfort. The flanges onthe central section and the reinforcing rings divide the insulatingspace into seven air chambers and prevent the propagation of aircurrents.

The freedomfrom obstructions about the fittings permit free drainage andeasy pitching.

The flanged bungsleeve having the weld below the surface of the flange,andthe tapered sleeve, allow perfect seating of the filling: nozzle,easy entrance. of the bung, and aid materially in the operation ofracking and filling.

The heavy central section of the outer casing provides resistance to thedeformation incident to normal handling, and the rolling ribs provideaccurate tracking of the barrel and protect the finish thereof. Sincethe central portion of the barrel normally receives the shocks incidentto 6 struction, operation and many advantages of 15 the herein describedinvention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without furtherdescription, and it will be understood that various changes in the size,shape, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted towith- .20

out departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages ofthe invention.

What I claim, is:

1. In a double walled barrel having an inner container, an outer casingsurrounding and spaced 24,

from the inner container and including a potshaped end section having aside wall, a head portion, and an outwardly extending chime portion,a'substantially U-shaped reinforcing ring surrounding the end of theinner container and providing a support therefor, and having one, legextending into and reinforcing the chime portion of the end section, andthe other leg secured to the side wall of the end section.

2. In a double walled barrel having an inner container, an outer casingsurrounding spaced from the inner container, and including a pot-shapedend section having a side, a head and an outwardly extending chimeportion, a substah tially U-shaped reinforcing ring surrounding the endportion of the inner container and having one leg secured to the sidewall of the end section, the other leg extending into and reinforcingthe chime, and the central portion providing a support for the innercontainer, the central portion of the ring adjacent the end of the innercontainer having inwardly struck tongues, secured to and reinforcing thehead portion of the said end section.

v 3. In a double walled barrel having a generally spherical innercontainer, an outer casingsurrounding and spaced from the innercontainer and comprising a central section having its ends inturned toprovide means for supporting the central portion of the inner container,pot-shaped end sections engaged with the central section andv havingside walls and head portions, and substantially U-shaped reinforcingrings at the ends of the inner container, each ring having the legsthereof secured to the side walls of the re- .spective end sections, andthe central portion inner container having an outwardly extending Iflangesecured to the side walls of the and sec tions, and an inner rimadapted to provide sup tainer and an outer casing enclosing the same,

said outer casing comprising a central sleeve section having integralspaced outstanding annular rolling ribs, said central section furtherhaving marginal portions outside the ribs, and end sections havingannular side walls fitted over the marginal portions and butting againstthe rolling ribs, said end portion being secured to the central sectionsat the bases of the ribs.

6. In a'double walled barrel, an inner container and an outer casingenclosing the .same, said outer casing comprising a central sleevesection having inset marginal flanges spaced from the inner container,and packing ribs carried by said flanges and surrounding and bearingagainst the container.

'7. In a double walled barrel, an inner container and an outer casingenclosing the same, said outer casing comprising a central sleeve sec-,tion of relatively heavy material having spaced outstanding rollingribs, a bung structure for the inner container opening through thecentral sleeve section between the ribs, said central portion havingmarginal flange portions inset and provided with internal annulargrooves, and packing rings in said grooves bearing against the innercontainer.

8. In a double walled barrel, an inner container, an outer casingincluding an end portion having a side wall and an end head forming achime at their juncture, and a spacing and reinforcing ring interposedbetween the inner container and end portion and having an intermediateportion extending between the end of the inner container and the headand bearing against both of the same and supporting the container andspaced marginal portions bearing against the interior of the outercasing portion respectively beyond and inwardly of the longitudinallimit of theinner container, one of saidparts being engaged in thechime.

9. In a double walled barrel, an inner container, an outer casingincluding an end'portion having a head and a side wall joined theretoand. forming a chime, and a supporting ring interposed between the innercontainer and said end portion of the casing, said ring having a.bearing against the container and spaced internal bearings against theside wall, the chime and the head.

10. In a double walled barrel, an inner container, an outer casingincluding an end portion having a head and a side wall joined thereto, asupporting and reinforcing ring interposed between the end portion'ofthe casing and the container, and a' packing ring interposed betweensaid reinforcing ring and the container.

11. In a double walled barrel, an inner container, an outer casingincluding an end portion having a head and. a side wall joined thereto,a

' supporting and reinforcing ring interposed between the end portion ofthe casing and the container andcomprising a central portion andoutstanding flanges that have spaced bearings against the outer casing,and a packing ring seated in the central portion and surrounding andbearing against the inner container.

12. In a double walled barrel, an inner container, an outer casingcomprising a central sleeve portion having inset flanges provided withinternal annular grooves, packing rings in the .grooves surrounding andbearing against the container, said casing also having pot-shaped endportions comprising heads and "side walls, the latter being secured tosaid central sleeve section outside the packing rings, and reinforce-.

ments interposed between the ends of the inner container and the sidewalls and heads of the outer end portions and having bearings againstthe same, and reinforcing portions having internal grooves, and packingrings in the grooves bearing against the end portions of the contain-WALTER F. SCHULZ.

